Medialoper

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Archives for August 2006

That’s What I Like: Slings & Arrows Season One DVD

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The first season of Slings & Arrows is unlike anything else you’re going to see on television. The basic premise revolves around the fictional New Burbage Theatre Festival in Canada and the return of its prodigal son, Geoffrey Tennant (played by the amazing Paul Gross, who happens to be my new crush).

Years ago, Geoffrey suffered a nervous breakdown on stage while playing Hamlet and after his estranged mentor, Oliver, dies, he reluctantly returns as the new temporary Artistic Director.

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The Daily Loper – August 10, 2006

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Today’s links of interest:

Sopranos HD-DVD: Whack Job

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On one level it makes sense that the sixth season of The Sopranos has been announced as the first TV show to make it to HD-DVD. The writing, acting and production values are all motion picture quality, and this most recent season has been no exception. It’s only peers are Deadwood and Battlestar Galactica, and neither of them have been doing for nearly as long — and we already know that Deadwood won’t.

Given the combination of quality and longevity, it may just be the best TV Drama ever, so it’s kind of fitting that it’s the first one to make the hi-def jump.

However, there is one small problem: the price. $129.95. It makes one wonder if HBO has contracted out to Tony and the rest of his New Jersey gang to whack HD-DVD once and for all.

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Why Kids Don’t Watch Movies On Cellphones

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Both the motion picture industry and publishing industry have been scrambling to go mobile*. Mobile, they believe, will save the world. And I think they’re partially right. Mobile will be one of the possible choices viewers have — but it can’t and won’t be the only option. If Medialoper has a religion, it is the doctrine of choice.

I’ve been following the Los Angeles Times series on today’s kids and their attitudes toward new media with more avidity than most — it is, after all, my job. And I’m not surprised to learn the two key reasons for slow adoption of the cell phone motion picture experience:

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The Daily Loper – August 9, 2006

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Today’s links of interest:

When Computers Marry Televisions

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In an article at Slate, Paul Boutin muses about the lack of television/computer convergence. While his final conclusion — keep your television close, but keep your laptop even closer — makes sense, he doesn’t seem to consider the way our homes work in his analysis.

In order for a hybrid television/computer to work effectively, we will need a solid broadband connection to the spot where the television works. Cable companies will need to be able to deliver programming and the Internet to the same device. Phone companies will need to do the same — TiVo users generally have a phone line nearby for those nightly calls home. Satellite users will need to either figure out how to Google via DirecTV (not likely at this time) or install a second input method (more likely). Then the television will need to converge all this stuff.

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How Zune Could Actually Be an iPod Killer

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Lotsa talk — maybe too much talk — about Zune, Microsoft’s new “iPod Killer,” and how it really doesn’t have a chance to grab much of Apple’s market share. Or be anything but a boondoggle.

However, we should all just try and remember that the iPod/iTunes juggernaut is anything but perfect, and there are actually several things that Microsoft could do with Zune to take advantage of those imperfections.

I’m not saying, of course, that they will, just that they should.

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The Daily Loper – August 8, 2006

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Today’s links of interest:

Was Google GTunes A Victim of Zune?

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One of the most persistent media rumors of early 2006 involved Google launching a digital music service to rival Apple’s iTunes. There was a point earlier this year when it seemed as if every analyst on Wall Street was predicting that Google would be launching GTunes any day now. iTunes was clearly doomed and its days would soon be numbered.

Far be it from me to say “I told you so”, but back in April I went on record with a list of reasons why Google Music won’t matter. Now comes word that Google is going to sit out the upcoming digital music war. Instead, they’ll be partnering with MTV to insert advertising into videos that will be available on the still dismal Google Video service. No matter how Google tries to spin it, the MTV deal is a huge letdown for anyone expecting the company to make its mark on the music industry.

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The Daily Loper – August 7, 2006

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Today’s links of interest: